University of Liverpool researchers use plasma-catalytic process to conver CO2 to methanol

In the UK, researchers at the University of Liverpool have achieved a significant milestone in the conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into valuable fuels and chemicals, marking an important step towards a sustainable net-zero economy. In a paper published in the journal Chem, the team reports a pioneering plasma-catalytic process for the hydrogenation of CO2 to methanol at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.

This breakthrough addresses the limitations of traditional thermal catalysis, which often requires high temperatures and pressures, resulting in low CO2 conversion and methanol yield. The novel process utilizes a bimetallic Ni-Co catalyst within a non-thermal plasma reactor to achieve an impressive single-pass 46% selectivity for methanol and 24% CO2 conversion at 35 °C and 0.1 MPa.

Non-thermal plasma, an ionized gas containing energetic electrons and reactive species, can activate strong chemical bonds of inert molecules like CO2, facilitating chemical reactions under mild conditions. In addition, plasma-based modular systems can be turned on and off instantly, offering great flexibility to use intermittent renewable electricity for decentralized production of fuels and chemicals.